Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas rode into a toxic cloud of pepper spray as the Tour de France was sabotaged by farmers.

Defending champion Froome revealed his throat was “burning” and leader Thomas also needed treatment for sore eyes after the race was halted for 15 minutes amid farcical scenes.

Team Sky's double act at the top of the leaderboard thought they had met every conceivable misbehaviour in this year's race after punches, spitting, smoke bombs and being doused with unidentified liquid.

But when farmers angry with the French government's economic reforms blocked the route with bales of hay around 20 miles out of Carcassone, on the 134-mile long haul to Bagneres-de-Louchon, it was the final straw.

Froome washes out his eyes after getting caught with pepper spray (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

A police officer pepper sprays a protester (Image: REUTERS)

Police desperately cleared the road just before the cyclists arrived, but when the farmers – who even tried to drive a flock of sheep into the peloton's path – refused to back down, gendarmes responded with pepper spray.

With little wind to disperse the noxious fumes, many of the 147 surviving riders on stage 16 rode headlong into the fumes.

And when director Christian Prudhomme suspended the race, with dozens of riders temporarily blinded by streaming eyes, his showpiece event turned into the Tear de France.

In-race doctors helped riders to wash the residual irritants out of their eyes and Froome said: “My throat, nose and eyes were burning afterwards, but I think a lot of the riders were in a similar situation so we were grateful for the temporary neutralisation of the race.

Race leader Geraint Thomas was affected (Image: AFP)

A protester holds a placard reading "For the Piege region to live" during a farmers' protest (Image: AFP)

“Thankfully the effects didn't last long, but temporarily everything was stinging and burning.

“I've never seen anything quite like that, to that extent, but I hope everyone has come out all right from it – riders, farmers and police.”

Thomas, whose overall lead remains 1min 39sec, said: “We don't feel threatened out there, although the atmosphere is not always nice on the climbs, and it was unfortunate it (the pepper spray) was still lingering in the air when we came through.

“I was lucky it didn't affect me too much. I could feel my eyes tingling so I gave them a wash and rinsed my mouth out.”

And Birmingham-born Irishman Dan Martin scoffed: “I'm always open to new experiences, but pepper spray in a race? You could feel it on your lungs and it wasn't pleasant, but the medics got everyone going again.”

Police officers carry a protester off the road (Image: REUTERS)

Riders sit at the road side after the General Director of the Tour Christian Prudhomme halted the race (Image: AFP)

Farmers' protests are nothing new on Le Tour – five-times winner Bernard Hinault famously punched one in 1984 with a solid right hook.

But this was the most militant agricultural picket since chat show clot Alan Partridge had a dead cow dropped on him from a canal bridge.

And when the race resumed, there was no shortage of drama.

Britain's Adam Yates, leading out on his own with four miles to go, crashed at 44mph on a sketchy descent four miles from finish.

He recovered to finish third, but climbed on his bike just in time to see stage winner Julian Alaphilippe go sailing past him.

Gilbert suffered a horror crash (Image: Velo)

Heartbroken Yates groaned: “There are no bad injuries - just bad morale because we were so close to winning the stage. I've taken more risks on more technical descents in the past and never had a problem.”

Earlier, in a terrifying moment, Belgium's Philippe Gilbert miraculously survived a terrifying crash as he skidded into a low wall descending the Col Portet d'Aspet and vaulted over the handlebars down a shallow ravine.

After scrambling back up the bank and being examined by doctors, Gilbert was somehow able to remount and finish with his left leg weeping blood.

But it was sobering reminder of the risks riders face at high speeds on the same mountain where tragic Italian Fabio Casartelli died in a crash on Le Tour 23 years ago.

Froome said: “We heard about Gilbert's crash when he was up front on his own, and then we heard about Yates crashing in the lead later.

“It was a heads-up to everyone around us – it's just a bike race at the end of the day and it's not worth risking your lives for it.”